Merchandise Planner/Senior Planner - 12 month Fixed Term Contract

merchant1948; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free shoes each season

Employee discounts across Overland/mer

Hybrid working model

Central location with parking

Referral bonuses

Office events

Job summary

merchant1948 in New Zealand is seeking a commercially minded Merchandise Planner/Senior Planner on a 12-month fixed-term contract covering maternity leave in Auckland. You will drive sales, profitability and inventory performance with strong planning and analytical capabilities.

Responsibilities include budgets, OTB, demand forecasting, stock management and post-season analysis, partnering with the broader Merchandise team to optimise commercial outcomes. Hybrid work model offered.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in retail planning, ideally footwear or apparel.
• Ontempo experience would be advantageous.
• Advanced Excel skills and solid retail maths knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Maintain seasonal budgets, buy plans and Open to Buy (OTB) to maximise sales and profitability.
• Manage seasonal buying cycles, ensuring plans align with objectives and inventory targets.
• Maintain demand forecasts, adjusting sales and stock plans as trading evolves.
• Monitor stock levels, inventory health and aged stock to maximise sell-through.
• Analyse in-season sales and stock performance for trends and opportunities.
• Manage stock allocations, movements and recalls to keep stores stocked appropriately.
• Provide commercial insights to support trading and merchandise decisions.
• Complete post-season analysis and reporting to inform future planning.
• Maintain planning reports, dashboards and KPIs with ad hoc analyses.
• Collaborate with Merchandise and cross-functional teams to drive results.

Skills

Retail planning

Ontempo (adv)

Advanced Excel

Commercial acumen

Organised & detail-oriented

Communication & stakeholder mgmt

Team player (humour)

Tools

Ontempo

Job description

Who Are We?

We're a proud, family-owned New Zealand fashion retailer with over 40 stores across New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia. Our iconic brandsMerchant 1948, Mi Piaci, Deuce, and Goodsole are known for delivering exceptional experiences to both our customers and our team.

At the heart of what we do is our people. We offer supportive leadership and recognition for great performance, all within a team that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

The Role

We're looking for a commercially minded and analytical Merchandise Planner/Senior Planner to join our Merchandise team on a 12-month fixed-term contract, covering maternity leave.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced retail planner to play a key role in driving sales, profitability and inventory performance across the business. Working closely with the wider Merchandise team, you'll use your commercial insight and analytical expertise to develop effective plans, manage stock and identify opportunities to maximise business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain seasonal budgets, buy plans and Open to Buy (OTB) to maximise sales and profitability.
• Manage seasonal buying cycles, ensuring plans align with business objectives, customer demand and inventory targets.
• Maintain demand forecasts, adjusting sales and stock plans in response to trading performance.
• Monitor and manage stock levels, inventory health and aged stock, identifying opportunities to maximise sell-through.
• Analyse in-season sales and stock performance, identifying key trends, risks and commercial opportunities.
• Manage stock allocations, stock movements and seasonal recalls to ensure stores are appropriately stocked.
• Provide commercial insights and recommendations to support effective trading and merchandise decision-making.
• Complete post-season analysis and reporting, using learnings to inform future planning and buying decisions.
• Maintain planning reports, dashboards and KPIs, including ad hoc analysis as required.
• Partner closely with Merchandise and cross-functional teams to drive sales, improve processes and deliver commercial outcomes.

What you'll bring

• Proven experience in retail planning ideally within footwear or apparel
• Experience with Ontempo would be advantageous
• Advanced Excel skills and sound retail maths knowledge
• Strong commercial acumen and confident decision-making
• Highly organised and detail-oriented
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• A collaborative team player (plus a good sense of humour!)

What's in it for you?

• A free pair of shoes every season
• Generous discounts across all Overland brands
• Central location with free parking and close proximity to public transport
• A hybrid working model to balance work and life
• Referral bonuses when you bring great people onboard
• Regular office & team events
• Supportive, down-to-earth leadership
• Access to EAP for extra support
• A brand with real history - and exciting things ahead!